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Working in a male-dominated industry is the norm for many women
in franchising. Working in an industry dominated by men wearing
kilts? Only the norm for one unique Vancouver, Canada-based
window cleaning franchise.

In 2002, Nicholas Brand began cleaning windows in the Vancouver
area in a very peculiar uniform – a handmade kilt. The quirky
concept took off, with Men in Kilts expanding and putting more
men in Scottish garb to work window cleaning, pressure washing
and gutter cleaning. However, Men in Kilts needed a woman to take
the company to the next level. In 2009, Tressa Wood joined the
business to develop its franchising efforts. Today, she leads the
company as CEO.

“They joke that I’m the one who wears the pants,” says Wood.

Wood, a former executive at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and 1-800-PLUMBER,
said the keys to thriving in a male-dominated business – or any
business, for that matter – is in demanding respect. “My
experience is people will treat you the way you let them treat
you,” she says.

In April 2011, Men in Kilts made its American debut in Seattle.
Today, it operates 10 franchises in Canada and the U.S.

As more men have donned kilts for cleaning duties, there have
been new women key to the expansion. One very important example
is the sole female Men in Kilts franchisor: Judy Briggs. Like
Wood, she has experience working in a male dominated industry.
Briggs, who also owns a 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise, actually
worked with Wood in the past when Wood was still vice president
of operations at the company. This August, Briggs choose to buy a
Men in Kilts franchise.

“I’m not afraid to get up on a ladder and do the same thing that
the guys are doing,” says Briggs. “People say, you’re Men in
Kilts. I saw, I’m a wo-MAN. Women can do it as well as men.”

Briggs and Wood emphasized not fitting the “men” qualification of
Men in Kilts did nothing to hold them back in the franchise.
Especially as the franchise was young, they felt they were judged
by performance and accomplishments, instead of having to break
into a boys' club as can be the case in some older companies.

The duo also said that, while the kilts may be a more important
than the gender of the wearer, the Scottish garb was less
significant than the idea behind them.

“Some people think the kilt is a gimmick,” says Wood. “I
understand how people can think that initially. But... it’s a way
to have fun and stand out. It’s great for social media, marketing
and PR.”

“The bottom line is, it is all about customer service,” says
Briggs, who, unlike Wood, will don a kilt for work. “We’re having
fun and exceeding customers’ expectations.”

For those still curious about the kilts, however, Wood has the
inside scoop. Workers usually wear shorts underneath, as well as
leggings in the winter. Only extreme wind will hamper the kilted
cleaners.